Photographer Gary Gardiner documents life in Westerville with image a day since 2004

A brush with death led Gary Gardiner to one of the most meaningful projects of his life. Twelve years ago, Gardiner — two weeks into retirement after a decades-long career as a news photographer — was in his car at a stoplight. “The light turned green, and, as I entered the intersection, a truck ran the red light and came barreling through,” recalled Gardiner, who managed to stop in time. “And I’m thinking to myself, `Man, if I had died, people would have said